In 1863, he was named Queen's Counsel. He was elected to the 8th Parliament of the Province of Canada in 1863, but was defeated in 1864 when he accepted the post of Solicitor General for Canada West and so was required to run again for the same seat.[3] In 1867, he was narrowly defeated by John Willoughby Crawford in Leeds South but was elected in 1872. In 1869, he was named Attorney General in the provisional government of the Northwest but was turned back by the rebels at Pembina.[1] In 1874, he moved to British Columbia.[3] On June 27, 1876, he was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor there. After his term in this office, he returned to Ontario for three years, then went back to Victoria where he practised law, dying in Victoria in 1897.[3]

Richards was married twice: to Frances Chaffey in 1849 and to Ellen Chaffey Chislett in 1854.[2]